(1) Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to a vertically integrated service and storage system for affixation to a laboratory work surface area.
(2) Brief Description of the Prior Art
As technology advances, the demands placed on the working environment increase proportionately. The amount of equipment and instrumentation continues to grow, but limited floor space severely impacts efficiency. Work surfaces tend to become cluttered and accessibility of services is almost impossible. This is particularly true with respect to storage units used in laboratories and similar applications. Heretofore, such storage facilities have been provided below a work surface area, and any storage above the work surface area has been provided either by means of open or closed cabinetry or shelving permanently or temporarily fixed to the wall or ceiling thereabove. In some instances, such storage facilities have been provided by literally building same on site through use of wood or similar materials.
In recent years, laboratory tops have been made commercially available by application of molding techniques using epoxy materials. When such techniques are utilized to make such surface areas for laboratories and the like, the molding technique has resulted in a product in which the support legs or structures and the resultant shelving or surface areas are in complete vertical alignment such that the legs and/or support structures and the shelving must be placed flush relative to a wall or other work area, resulting in either lack of full accessibility to the shelving or storage area, or unacceptable or erroneous alignment of the shelving relative to the wall or other surface area.
The present invention addresses the problems identified in prior art products discussed above.